Li Peng respectfully welcomed the angry Cao Xin into the gate at the door of the mansion.

"Li Xiang knew I was coming?" Cao Xin was a little surprised.

Li Peng smiled and said, "Li Xiang guessed that you should come. So he held a banquet in the back garden. Cao's Ministry of Personnel, please."

Hearing this, Cao Xin was full of resentment, but in an instant, it seemed to dissipate for most of his time. He took a few breaths and slightly adjusted his clothes, then followed Li Peng all the way backwards.

There is an extremely huge pond in the back garden, but it is when lotus leaves are covered with water and lotus flowers are competing for beauty. In the octagonal pavilion located in the middle of the pond, the brilliance of four glass lamps shines around the surroundings. Li Ze leans against the railing and is throwing some fish food. The lotus leaves in the water shaking, and the flowers keep shaking. Countless fish money gathers from all directions to where the lights gather, and opens his mouth densely, waiting to eat.

Seeing Cao Xin coming slowly, Li Ze clapped his hands and stood up, and greeted him with a smile.

"Mr. Cao, the wine has been prepared and the food is fragrant, and I cook it myself. Today, I will never return without getting drunk." Li Ze said.

Cao Xin stood up with his hands, "Li Xiang, what is this banquet? Speak to leave, thank you or something?"

"No, no," Li Ze laughed and said, "Drinking with joy, and speaking with joy, that's all."

Cao Xin then smiled: "In this way, I can taste Li Xiang's craftsmanship well. Speaking of which, I have never eaten the food that Li Xiang had personally cooked for many years. It seems that it was ten years ago, right?"

"Mr. Cao is so memory!" Li Ze smiled slightly, invited Cao Xin to sit down, and poured wine for Cao Xin. "In the blink of an eye, we were in danger and surrounded by enemies. If Cao Gong had not believed in me and rejected me, how could I be like Li Ze today?"

Cao Xin also sighed: "Li Xiangyan is so serious. Although I have made me so much contribution back then, Li Xiang has already rewarded me over the years. The Ministry of Personnel is the largest department in the world. Cao has held this position for a long time, which shows that Li is so sincere to me."

"Where does it come from the fruit without cause?" Li Ze picked up the wine glass and said, "Mr. Cao, let's drink this glass together to celebrate that although we have thorns all over the ground and stumbled, we have finally come to this day and finally lived up to those vows we made back then."

With a tingling sound, the two wine glasses met together, and both of them drank them all in one go.

Speaking of that year, both of them were sighing.

At that time, Li Ze was almost nothing. At that time, Cao Xin was the governor of Yizhou. He had territory and strong soldiers. It was Cao Xin's strong support that Li Ze's first pot of gold was able to develop.

And there is no doubt that Cao Xin has also been the person Li Ze trusted the most over the years.

When the two recalled the past, they were all very moved. After drinking a few glasses of wine, Cao Xin suddenly realized that he had no longer had the fighting spirit he had in his anger.

When I first came, I felt that Li Ze was unfair to me, but after drinking these few glasses of wine, I recalled from the time I first started to the present, but Cao Xin suddenly realized that Li Ze treated him very well.

He is indeed his first external supporter, but over the years, his rewards have long exceeded his expectations.

My greatest ideal back then was that Li Ze could replace Li Anguo as the governor of Chengde and become the second person below him. Now, he has already become famous all over the world.

Now that things have come to this point, what else can you say?

"Why didn't you see the two ladies?" Cao Xin tasted the dish and asked. The two families are the best. Xia He and Liu Ruyan are not ordinary women, so they were not shy away from them in the past.

"Xia He heard that you were coming, but he ran away." Li Ze laughed: "Qiao'er is now urging the two little guys to study."

"Why do you have to do this?" Cao Xin shook his head slightly: "Li Xiang, if you don't want me to run for the election, just say it directly to me, and I will naturally retreat."

Li Ze picked up a dish and stuffed it into his mouth. While chewing, he shook his head like a rattle.

"No, no! Cao Gong, I said, I will not interfere, even if I do not interfere, whether you run for election or give up, you will make your own decisions."

Cao Xin narrowed his eyes, "What does Li Xiang mean?"

"What this means is that I don't care who is elected." Li Ze smiled and said, "Whether you or Xu Xiang, I will recognize whoever wins!"

"But now everyone says that Li Xiang belongs to Xu Xiang?"

"Who said it?" Li Ze shook his head and said, "Mr. Cao, I don't care who wins, what I care about is the process of this election."

"Including their connections like this now?" Cao Xin asked back.

Li Ze smiled slightly: "Duke Cao, as far as I know, you are not idle either."

Cao Xin was immediately speechless.

"In fact, the so-called connection is inevitable at any time. Moreover, this process is a process of seeking support, seeking like-minded and similar ideas." Li Ze said: "Cao Gong, the Economic Development Committee is the most important department among several committees, so he ranks first. If a person who stays in this position cannot get the support of the vast majority of people, his work will be difficult, or even cannot be done well at all."

Cao Xin nodded, "Li Xiang means, no matter who is elected, you agree?"

"Of course." Li Ze nodded and said, "It seems that Cao and Xu Xiang are competing. For me, it doesn't matter who wins, as long as the whole process is progressing according to my ideas. Cao Gong, it's not a shame to say that I'm still very young now. Even if you are elected, on many policies, if I want to do this, would you insist on not doing it? I said that this is not possible, you will insist on doing it, right?"

Cao Xin shook his head.

"The same principle is also suitable for Xu Xiang, and even his confidence in competing with me is not as good as you!" Li Ze smiled and said, "But for me, this process is very important. I don't see it right now, but in the future, we must make such elections deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and basically be fair, just and open. This is for future generations."

Cao Xin raised his neck and drank a glass of wine in front of him: "I understand what Li Xiang you mean. You are now going to set rules and set rules for future generations."

"Not bad." Li Ze nodded: "When I was alive, even if something went wrong, I could still correct my mistakes. I also have the ability to bring back the inappropriate things, but in the future, I can't say it. Therefore, the rules must be established from now on."

"I will never interfere in other committee matters unless I have to. Even if I make mistakes, as long as I am still within the scope of tolerance, I will let them discover and correct them by themselves." Li Ze said: "Things need to be followed step by step. The formation of rules also takes time. I hope that in my life, all the rules will be fully established until everyone is in their own affairs and takes their own responsibilities."

"I understand." Cao Xin put the wine glass on the table and bowed his hand and said, "Thank you for Li Xiang's wine and food, I'll go now."

"Mr. Cao, I haven't finished drinking, but the dishes haven't moved much!" Li Ze pointed to the table and said.

"I'm not waiting for time." Cao Xin shook his head and said, "I'm going to seek my supporters. No matter what the win or lose, I always have to fight for it. If I don't believe it, I will really lose to that young boy Xu Xiang."

Li Ze smiled and said, "Mr. Cao, you must be generous if you win, and you must be free and easy if you lose. On the day the result is revealed, you must not be able to raise it or let it go."

"Don't worry. Since Li Xiang said that, I naturally know it. If I win, I will definitely invite Xu Xiang to become my deputy. After all, he has so many supporters and can take him around, it will be easier to do things in the future. If I lose, I will congratulate him generously and will not cause any trouble for him." Cao Xin said.

"This is exactly what I want to see." Li Ze said: "But once Xu Xiang loses, he will not be your deputy. If he does this, he will form two distinct factions in the Economic Development Committee. If you lose, you will not be able to serve in this committee again."

"If I lose, then I will retreat." Cao Xin took a deep breath and said. "Or it is a good choice to teach in school. It is also a joy to be able to enjoy the joy of family life after working hard all your life. Goodbye, Li Xiang."

Li Ze nodded: "Li Peng, give it to Mr. Cao for me."

Seeing Cao Xin leaving with full of fighting spirit, Li Ze smiled and shook his head. As far as he knew, the possibility of Cao Xin losing the election in this Economic Development Committee was as high as 80%.

The older generation is gradually retreating, and the new officials are rising one after another. These young officials are deeply influenced by the new studies of Wuwei Academy. There is an essential difference between the Tang Empire and the world and the older generation in their understanding. The concepts and means of governing the country are also undergoing earth-shaking changes.

There is no doubt that the Yangtze River is pushing the old waves, and what Li Ze has to do is to prevent the old waves from being beaten to death on the beach by the new waves, so that these old people who have been fighting for the cause of the Tang Dynasty can retreat one by one with decent decent one by one.

In the next time, their steps will be very big, and the elderly will not be able to keep up with their ideas. Even if they respect themselves, they will intentionally or unintentionally become obstacles and obstacles for the new Tang Dynasty to move forward. In order to avoid having to attack them one day, it is better to remove them as soon as possible.

Let the new generation of officials come and try! Only when they accept new knowledge and see the new world will they become the group of people who dare to think and do the rising Tang Dynasty most need.

"Honor Cao is gone?" Li Ze asked looking at Li Peng who was returning.

"Yes, but I didn't go home."
Chapter completed!